Random NHL Notes

∑ Various commentators and hockey analysts are beginning to eat their words when it comes to the New York Rangers. Oh, we probably shouldn’t have counted them out, etc, has been flying from the mouths of various analysts. I’m going to adopt a wait-and-see attitude toward the Rangers—specifically because their fortunes hinge on Jagr and the one fans dubbed Henrik the Great last season.

Still, whether I’m an opponent or a hockey analyst or whoever I am, I think it’s downright silly to count out a team with the likes of Brendan Shanahan and Jaromir Jagr for dead. Say what you will for Jags (moody, neurotic, fussy, and insanely talented all fit), but he and Shanny are at the point in their careers where they know what matters, and what matters is the Cup. Jags and Shanny have also performed when it’s mattered the most, and they know what it takes.

Despite the lingering effects I believe Jagr still feels from his injury, with him it’s all mental. If he believes he can win and believes his team can win, that’s going to be enough for the Rangers. But I’m saying it now: It’s downright stupid to count out a team with two 600 goal scorers, both of whom already have multiple Stanley Cup championship rings. It’s particularly stupid because it’s not like either Shanny or Jags has suddenly looked old. Don’t count out the Rangers, and don’t count them out because of Jagr and Shanahan.


∑ Goaltending matters at this time of year. The right save at the right time makes a huge difference. Rick DiPietro’s return to the Islanders made an instantaneous difference for a team that lost games when he was injured and unable to play. Despite my protestations about Jags and Shanny, it’s going to be Henrik who decides if the Rangers are in the postseason, not Jags and Shanny. At this time of year, you have to have a goalie who can make the key save at the key moment.


∑ The Islanders are now a "borderline" playoff team. You’ll know I’ve proffered no comment on the Chris Simon incident (it was ugly, it was gross, I’m glad the NHL suspended him for as long as they did, I think perhaps they could have suspended him for longer and that would have been even better), but a part of me wonders if it would be that type of poetic justice for the Islanders owner and for a franchise that employed Chris Simon to miss the playoffs even after trading for Ryan Smyth. Just because, you know, the Islanders make me go, "Ew." (Memories of David Volek, is how I attribute this involuntary reaction of "ew!" to the sight of the Islanders.) That, and well, I don’t like Jason Blake.


∑ Without potential playoff rivalries, it was harder to "hate" players—and there are certain players on rival teams that I love to hate. (I’d love such players on my team, but on the other team, such players are nemeses.) It is wonderful to once again have the chance to care enough to have players to hate. I can despise Jason Blake and Brendan Witt and wish to see Sidney Crosby do a 1 on 2 move beating both of those players. I can appreciate that Dany Heatley is a good player and still want my penalty killers to shut him down. It really is wonderful to be able to hate the opposition again.
Ú